


The world is quiet here

by Notevenaproperword



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: 5 Times, Fluff, I need fluff to cope, Light Angst, Zelda Spellman Needs A Hug, Zelda's baby is safe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28510059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notevenaproperword/pseuds/Notevenaproperword
Summary: Five times Zelda Spellman watched Sabrina sleep and one time she didn't.
Relationships: Sabrina Spellman & Zelda Spellman
Comments: 46
Kudos: 119





	1. A baby in a cot

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from Lemony Snicket.

Zelda watched the sleeping child intently. It was to be noted that Zelda stood in complete darkness by the cot, half hugging herself. Hilda had fed the little girl before going to bed and now the child — _Baby,_ she corrected herself — slept soundly. Zelda's left hand tensed around the handle of an ornate hand mirror.

Two months ago, Hilda had helped Diana deliver their brother’s girl and Sabrina now slept in the Spellman family cot, by Zelda's bed, and it felt _wrong_. 

Zelda bit back a sudden sob. Edward and Diana’s untimely demise might have been the Dark Lord’s will but, as devout as she was, Zelda Spellman was having a hard time processing the event. If she were perfectly honest, she always had trouble with her feelings. And now with this baby, who was half mortal, and who looked so much like Edward, Zelda felt she was standing at the edge of a precipice; it had dawned on her that _she_ , in fact, was the head of the Spellman family.

Zelda bent over the cot and carefully held the mirror near her niece's nose for the upteenth time tonight. Its surface fogged and Zelda's irrational — she _could hear_ the babe breathing, even in the dark, even when she was lying in her own bed — fear dwindled, surely retreating to some dark corner in Zelda's mind awaiting its next manifestation. 

Hilda mumbled something in her sleep. The blonde looked almost serene — keyword being _almost,_ her sister had cried herself to sleep again. Something caught the mirror and Zelda found herself staring back at the baby’s big brown open eyes. One of her chubby little hands had grabbed onto the object and held onto it with the strangely scary strength babies possessed. Zelda carefully extracted the mirror from her niece's grasp before putting it away. When she came to her niece, Zelda tentatively let one of her hands rest on Sabrina’s stomach. The baby smiled at her. Zelda’s heart dropped in her chest, she was responsible for the safety of this little girl too.

“Up for the witching hour, are we?”

Sabrina giggled under her fingers and then cried out in delight.

“Ssssh... You will wake your aunt Hilda.”

But to no avail, Sabrina wanted something. Her mother perhaps... Zelda pushed the thought back as far as she could. Sabrina's face began to change. Zelda sighed — she had an inkling it wouldn't be the last time — and carefully lifted the baby out of the cot. Then, she held her firmly against her chest.

“There, there...” 

She paced the room a few times before Sabrina quieted down again, sucking on the precious silk of Zelda’s nightgown. A more rested Zelda would have complained, but Sabrina had fallen asleep so easily and so close to her heart, this Zelda could cry. She considered the cot for a brief moment. Losing the babe’s warmth this soon would be too hard on her and so Zelda climbed in her bed, ensuring Sabrina wouldn’t fall off of it if she were to fall asleep and settled there, listening to her sister’s light snores.

  
_Yes_ , she decided. It wouldn’t be easy but Zelda Spellman was confident she could do it.


	2. A child on the floor

"And then Roz sang!" Little Sabrina explained in her high-pitched voice. "and then… then…"

Zelda made a noise to indicate that, even if she was not directly looking at her niece, she was  _ still _ listening to her go on about her day. And what a day it was, Sabrina's first day at kindergarten. 

"Then, we had milk!"

Obviously, Zelda had been against it ever since Hilda had first brought it up.  _ Sabrina ought to be homeschooled, as we were _ , she had immediately countered but Hilda had not backed down, listing reasons such as Sabrina's relative anonymity in the mortal's world, delicate questions it might raise in town —  _ especially since we are operating a mortuary, Zelds, they'd find it odd for a little girl to be homeschooled there — _ and it would only be for ten years —  _ and what are ten years in a witch's life, really? _

"And then…"

But the final nail in Zelda's coffin, and her agreeing with Hilda's plea, had been Sabrina's mother and what she would have wanted for her daughter.

Zelda could not go against a mother's wish and certainly not when Hilda was demonstrating such decisiveness to see it become reality.

"And then what?" Zelda asked to prompt her niece to finish her story.

Hearing no answer, the eldest Spellman raised her eyes from her satanic bible. Sabrina, she discovered, had fallen asleep, right then and there, on the carpet. "Sabrina?"

Zelda closed her book and set it aside, studying the sleeping form at her feet. Had she absent-mindedly _ cursed _ her niece to stop babbling? No, it couldn't be. Sabrina had had an exciting day and her little body had given up, for a nap. Zelda smiled and kneeled down.

"Sabrina?" 

She stroked the blonde's tousled hair and waited.

"Five minutes more, auntie. " The little girl mumbled.

"On the floor?"

Brown eyes fluttered open, Sabrina sat up and extended her arms towards her aunt. Zelda picked her up and stood up slowly.

"To bed, then."

"No." The child protested. "Auntie Hilda said she would bring snacks here."

"Is that so?" One of Zelda's brows arched. Not that Sabrina would see it, the girl kept her eyes resolutely closed. Still, the girl nodded.

"Hush now, I need to sleep to snack later."

Sabrina had nerves, Zelda took pride in it. 


	3. A girl who should be a witch by now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes place during ep2 of s1

Zelda stood, arms crossed, in her niece's dimly lit bedroom. She was silently fuming and since Sabrina would not listen, Zelda had decided to simply not talk. 

Sabrina had tried explaining, but the teenager needed to learn that in this little game, Zelda was the expert player. 

Three hours later, Sabrina slept soundly, Hilda's doing no doubt. Zelda remembered seeing her sister's hesitation before her own dark baptism. Hilda had voiced her concerns to Zelda, but Zelda knew her sister better than anyone else and, in the end, Hilda had signed her name. 

And now, she blamed her, just enough to make her fingers itch and, deep down, blame herself. 

For the first time in years and despite the voice, which sounded awfully like Hilda's, telling her that all was not lost yet, Zelda felt she had failed her brother, his legacy and the Spellman house. She rubbed her fingers together, she needed a cigarette.

Sabrina called her parents in her sleep, Zelda's lips quivered before she caught herself. _What would happen to them now?_

The door cracked open behind her, letting the light from the house and Hilda in. The blonde clutched her necklace when she recognised her sister's silhouette in the dark.

"Zelda, what are you–?"

"I could ask you the same question, sister." Zelda's voice wasn't as assured as she would have liked.

Hilda mumbled something, Zelda did not actually care about the answer; the question was rhetorical, they both knew why they were there.

Zelda watched as her sister sat on the bed and stroked her niece's hair. Hilda fumbled with a little jar. Her sister rolled her eyes, stepped out of her dark corner to snatch the object from Hilda's hand and opened it like it was nothing. 

"Thanks."

Hilda scooped a little of her scented balm with her fingers and applied it to her niece's forehead. Zelda recognised the smell, took a step back, it was too sweet. The lid slid easily between her fingers, momentarily replacing her needing a cigarette.

"There you go, my little lamb." Hilda whispered and Zelda bit her lips. "Zelds?"

Hilda held out a hand toward her sister, for the lid and for comfort too. Zelda placed the lid on her sister's fingers, expecting it to fall but Hilda closed them, around the lid and Zelda's own fingers. 

"She… she will make the right decision."

 _For our sakes, pray she does_ , Zelda thought sarcastically but didn't voice it. Instead, she extracted her fingers from her sister's hand, more gently than Hilda would have hoped, and crossed her arms again.

"And we'll be there to support her." Hilda declared, not taking her eyes off of Sabrina's face. "At least, I will."

Zelda said nothing. She _didn't know_ what to say but she hoped _she_ would find it in herself to make the right decision too.


	4. A teenager with a broken heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes place between ep9 and 10 of s1

Sabrina's chest went up slowly under Zelda's arms, then it went down, just as steadily. Zelda let out the breath she was holding. Sitting as she was, Sabrina's body against her own, Zelda was reminded of nights spent checking the baby's breathing when she first came to her. 

Zelda stroked Sabrina’s hair gently. The teenager had cried until they both could not feel their hands, then Ambrose had taken Zelda’s place, helping his cousin inside the house and up to her room, while she saw with Hilda to bring up some calming tea and other balms. Her sister had refrained to ask questions then, she knew Zelda, and she understood part of Sabrina's anguish.

And there they were, a few hours later, Sabrina sleeping in her arms, for the first time in years. Ambrose had stayed until Sabrina fell asleep, then he left, kissing his cousin's hand. Hilda came and went, bringing more and more blankets, balms and words of comfort as she did. If Zelda's predictions were correct — and they certainly would be — Hilda would come back shortly now. Zelda closed her eyes, and breathed, slowly syncing in with Sabrina's respiration.

The door swung open gently, Hilda walked in, empty-handed this time. She was careful and quiet, but still, Zelda heard the pearls of her necklace clink together and the soft rustle of her dress as she moved toward the bed. The witch then smelled her sister's perfume, which was always sweet, apple-like and herbaceous, and felt her hand on her forehead. Zelda opened her eyes, almost startling Hilda in the process. The warmth on her head vanished. 

"Do you want to switch?"

"I'd prefer to stay with her."

"Oh, okay…" 

A disappointed Hilda started to retreat to the door. Zelda sighed.

"Hildie, stay."


	5. A seventeen year-old girl, first and foremost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set in the continuity of part 4's finale

The smell of blood remained, despite baths, cleansing spells, and the time that had passed since _that_ fateful day. Zelda could  _ feel _ it under her nails and see it spread across Sabrina's pale chest.

Even now, as Sabrina lay on her bed, still pale as a ghost, but alive nonetheless, Zelda felt the air was saturated with iron.

Mortals, witches, and warlocks took turns keeping watch over Sabrina during the day. The nights were for the Spellmans, Prudence, and Nicholas. Not that the warlock left her long during the day, but he was the only one allowed to stay, with Prudence, after dusk. Kenny Kosgrove — Dr. Dracula, as Zelda still called him and Dr. Cerberus understood his sister-in-law was clinging to a sense of normalcy — would have been allowed too, if he could stand it. But the sight of that young girl, so pale, when he had always known her to be so lively was too much for him. The man preferred professing his weakness to his wife and provided support in another way; namely cooking and relieving Hilda of her more trivial tasks and chores. 

That night, it was just the three Spellman's shadows in the candlelight. Hilda knit, Zelda read. If it hadn't been for the room they were in and the body lying between them, and Ambrose surveying it, searching for the faintest of tremors, the scene would be domestic and mundane.

“I saw her, you know.” Zelda toyed with her bookmark. Her voice was comparable to the ancestral quilt Salem hadn't left in days; worn-out in its softness and frayed at the edges.

Hilda’s eyes left her needles and focused on her sister. Ambrose frowned in confusion but his attention quickly flicked back to his cousin’s face.

“How do you mean?” He still asked, his throat dry.

“When I was…” _D_ _ead? Dying?_ Zelda paused. “When I discovered our true Goddess. Edward guided me. We, Hilda — you — and I, saw the past and the future,  _ our _ future.”

Her eyes met her sister’s. Hilda was different in the soft light, she seemed more serious. Zelda could not imagine how she would be faring if Hilda's serious face wasn't here with her, after everything they had faced in the last year. 

“She was alive and you were too.”

“And I came back, didn’t I, Zelds?” 

Zelda nodded, her lips were quivering and her tears threatening to spill over. Hilda’s eyes, she noticed, glistened too. The blonde left her work and walked around the bed — as Hilda usually did, breaching the gap between them — to take her sister in her arms. 

“Then she’ll come back to us.”

Ambrose finally registered Hilda had changed places in the room. She was looking at him, as she stroked Zelda’s hair, waiting for him to notice her. He nodded feebly. Sabrina slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not mentioning how Sabrina actually survived/came back to life on purpose.  
> I toyed with the idea of going into more details since Sabrina Morningstar's body is technically left hollow at the end and it would probably take the following to save S. Spellman:  
> A) Retrieving her body from the void   
> B) Contacting Baron Samedi (which would imply going into the whole "you lied to me" "yes but it was still real" bit between Zelds and Marie/Baron Samedi + probably include Maman Brigitte being either mad because her husband went after a human/witch AGAIN but also she's sympathetic because Zelda is such a mom (on that note, it would have made much more sense if Marie's reveal had been she was Maman Brigitte but anywaaaaaaay)) or even Hecate. 
> 
> But I'm very sorry to say that I gave up confronted with such a task as I didn't feel entirely comfortable and confident writing this and mostly wanted to write a very simple scene with Sabrina being alive and her family watching over her.
> 
> Thank you if you read this rant <3


	6. A woman with a mischievous smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Zelda Spellman watched Sabrina sleep and one time she didn't.  
> This is the time she didn't, and all was well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set in the distant future :)

“But then again, how could have I guessed?” Sabrina asked. 

The girl’s — _Woman’s_ , Zelda corrected herself — cheeks were flushed, she was living her little adventure again as she told it to her family. Zelda smiled to herself; some things never changed.

“Perhaps, if you had asked first.” She volunteered in her customary sarcastic tone.

“Zelds, let her finish.” Hilda protested. Hilda’s blonde hair was almost all white now.

“Yes, auntie Zee, let me finish.” Sabrina repeated, caricaturing her younger self. “Besides, what would be the fun in _asking_ when you can put yourself in dangerously stupid situations?”

Hilda laughed. Zelda hid her smile by taking a drag on her cigarette; it helped that her hand wasn't as steady as it once had been. 

“You, Sabrina, are a naughty girl!” Hilda exclaimed. “I’ll go check on dinner now. But don’t you dare finish without me.”

“Yes, auntie.” Sabrina agreed but, as soon, as Hilda had left the room, she scooted closer to Zelda. “Let’s pretend I told you the rest of the story when she comes back.”

This time, Zelda made no effort to conceal her smile. Sabrina's eyes sparkled with mischief for a second before settling on her aunt's hands.

“How are you auntie Zee?”

“I’m well.” Zelda studied her niece through narrowing eyes. “Why? Has your aunt told you _anything_?”

“Should she have?” It was Sabrina’s turn to look suspicious.

Zelda let out a puff of smoke.

“No, of course not.”

“Are you sure auntie Zee?”

“Don’t trouble yourself, Sabrina. I’m– Everything is _fine_.”

Zelda gave her a pointed look. Obviously, Sabrina's concern remained and for all the work she had done on herself, she had yet to master hiding that specific emotion. The high priestess sighed.

“You’ll understand in the very distant future, Sabrina.” She said, feeling the familiar weight of annoyance creeping up on her. In the past, it usually came as a response to her niece’s antics. “There comes time in a witch’s life when she feels that she is, in fact, a crone.”

“Well, you certainly are closer in age than the first time you took the title.”

If looks could kill…

"But really, Auntie. Is there _anything_ I can do?"

"Against time? Please, don't. We both know how it could end." Sabrina grimaced and Zelda pat her niece's hands. "I'm simply tired."

Sabrina seemed taken aback, her aunt had changed too. She smiled mischievously.

"Well... if you need to take a nap because you're _tired._ " Sabrina meant old, Zelda raised an eyebrow. "I'll wake you and pretend you weren't asleep when aunt Hilda comes back."

"Being cocky was never a good look for you, Sabrina."

"I always pulled it off, in the end. Didn't I?"

Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Because I always had you, aunt Zee, and Hilda, and Ambrose." Sabrina continued with wisdom — a tone which suited her very much. Zelda opened her arms, her niece embraced her fiercely. _That,_ Zelda could and would never get tired of. She took a shaky breath in Sabrina's hair.

"Don't cry, auntie."

"I never cry." The high priestess mumbled, failing to sound threatening.

Zelda squeezed her niece tighter. Sabrina's sarcastic "sure" died on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers  
> (I just wanted to write that)  
> Thank you all for the kind reviews on this 5+1 story.  
> I hope you enjoyed the last instalment and my French mind did not leave nonsenses and mistakes throughout the whole thing.
> 
> I'm not sure I'll write about CAOS again just now but feel free to come talk to me about it on tumblr (ladyfeliciamontague), if you'd like :)
> 
> Bisous bisous  
> the writer aka Julia


End file.
